Promoting communication development in young children with or at risk for disabilities

Communication skills provide young children a means for sharing wants and interests with social partners. Young children with disabilities are likely to display difficulties effectively communicating with others, often requiring intervention to improve meaningful communication in typical environments. The communication intervention literature includes a wide-range of studies, each designed to improve some form of communication (e.g., gestures, oral language) in young children. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight interventions for promoting expressive communication in young children with or at risk for a disability. Implications for parents/caregivers and early childhood professionals are provided, as well as recommendations for future research.